Imagine: one day without electricity

  • 23 July 2012
  • Reading time: 2 min
  • News

In connection with Social Entrepreneurship (SE), Combell has been supporting the ecoFoundation organisation for several years. Every year, EcoFoundation organises several projects. This month, they launched the ‘R’energy for Life’ campaign during the jazz festival in Ghent.

One day without electricity

Here, in the Nordic countries, we consider it normal to be able to use electricity. We have become completely dependent on electricity and living without it would be unthinkable to most of us. If the electricity supply were cut off for just one day, our lifestyle would be severely affected. This would put our daily lives and the economy at a standstill.

The food supply would be endangered, and gas and water transportation as well as wastewater disposal services would be discontinued. There would be a shortage of heating and vehicle fuel. You must also realize that electronic payment systems would no longer be available, that hospitals would stop functioning, that medical ventilators would no longer work, that operating rooms would be deprived of light and sophisticated devices… In short, scenarios you would rather not even consider.

Then, imagine that there are countries where such electricity power outages occur uncontrollably and often daily, with all the attendant consequences. In such situations, many diesel generators are started: necessary but expensive, polluting and noisy.

But think also of certain rural areas in the South where there is simply no electrical network at all and where only diesel generators can shine a light in the darkness.

And then imagine that with the sun, the wind or the water, you can provide electricity to these people in an autonomous manner, without causing pollution, so that they can be in touch with the world.

Support this campaign!

The aim of R’energy For Life, ecoFoundation’s new campaign, is to bring electricity to schools, hospitals and social and cultural organisations in both Southern and Northern countries. ecoFoundation supports the United Nations to make their initiative ‘Sustainable Energy For All’ a reality by 2030.

Via the campaign site http://www.renergyforlife.com, you can donate 1 solar cell for only 5 euros. Thank you for supporting this project!